”His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” Luke 1:50-53
This Christmas season, the second one in this never-ending pandemic, wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. With plans canceled, the holidays were cobbled together just as the previous endless months witnessed me languishing through uncertainty, fear, and disappointment. My weary body and my worried brain began to wonder what this New Year will indeed hold.
Tomorrow, January 6, marks the beginning of Epiphany, the liturgical season that begins with the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child and ends as the Season of Lent begins. My own epiphanous journey throughout this holiday season of unpredictability is grounded by Mary’s Magnificat. Her words, nestled between Gabriel’s foretelling of Jesus’ birth and the birth of John the Baptist, bring a sense of calm and peace to my anxious heart. But that is only the beginning of this winding path to a deeper discovery of God and His purposes through His servant Mary.
Luke 1:46-55, often called the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, are verses I have previously viewed as words spilling over from a heart full of gratitude when Mary learns she is to give birth to the Messiah. Upon closer examination, I realize Mary’s words are an insightful epiphany of a society turned on its head when love, mercy, and justice intersect at the manger and continue all the way to the cross and beyond.
Verses 51-53 in particular jump off the page when I read that the proud, the rulers, and the rich will be brought down and the faithful, the humble, and the hungry will be lifted up. Jesus’ birth begins a new social order where the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). His isn’t a new world where the poor and humble exchange roles with the rich and powerful; He utterly destroys the concept of oppression and in doing so, ushers in the kingdom of heaven on earth where love reigns, mercy rules, and justice prevails.
In-between the manger and the cross, Jesus navigates a world filled with fear, dominated by the cruel, tyrannical, take-no-prisoners Roman government and exacerbated by the power-hungry, overbearing religious leaders, all of whom work within a system of oppression and injustice. Jesus, as described in His mission statement (Luke 4:18-19*), intends to turn society upside down with His focus on setting the prisoners and the oppressed free while providing good news to the poor, the marginalized, and those living on the fringes of society.
This is the Way of the Savior. This is God’s kingdom on earth. While Mary’s Song may be praise to her God, it is a foretelling of Emmanuel (“God with us”), the One born out of God’s love for all people, the One who showed mercy to all He encountered, and the One who died for justice for all. May we see hope in Mary’s Magnificat, hope for a better world where someday oppression is eliminated and true peace on earth reigns, a hope that begins with each of us when we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and stand up for the powerless, the poor, and the marginalized.
Jesus stepped out of the clouds of heaven and into the stable of humanity, fully understanding in His divinity the messiness of humankind. His great love compelled Him to enter into our fearful and difficult world to save not just souls, but also lives, and to teach us to love radically, to live fearlessly, and to follow Him relentlessly. Following Jesus means being His instrument of love, mercy, and justice in a world turned upside down by power, greed, and abuse. If only we would open our eyes to His works and wonders and our ears to His words.
The hope found in Mary’s Magnificat is only the beginning, for hope is a call to action.
What an incredible world this would be:
if we offer love instead of indifference,
if we show mercy instead of intolerance,
if we pursue justice instead of power.
Beginning with this New Year before us, may we each heed the call of Mary’s hope: to offer love, to show mercy, and to pursue justice.
Lord, in this sacred space between Christmas and Easter, may Your love, mercy, and justice be my epiphany and my guide to continue Your good work of turning the world upside down for the sake of the poor and disenfranchised. May Your hope and peace rule in this world and reign in my heart. Amen.
*Matthew 5:5 –“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
*Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Text and photographs copyright © 2022 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the dove inside the cupola of Salzburg Cathedral, Austria. While a dove can symbolize the Holy Spirit or peace, here it symbolizes hope. The beautiful and ornate Dom zu Salzburg was a highlight of my 2019 trip to Salzburg. See also the colorful cupola and a view of the cathedral from behind the pipes of the massive organ upstairs.
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A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE: Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
This Christmas season, the second one in this never-ending pandemic, wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. With plans canceled, the holidays were cobbled together just as the previous endless months witnessed me languishing through uncertainty, fear, and disappointment. My weary body and my worried brain began to wonder what this New Year will indeed hold.
Tomorrow, January 6, marks the beginning of Epiphany, the liturgical season that begins with the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child and ends as the Season of Lent begins. My own epiphanous journey throughout this holiday season of unpredictability is grounded by Mary’s Magnificat. Her words, nestled between Gabriel’s foretelling of Jesus’ birth and the birth of John the Baptist, bring a sense of calm and peace to my anxious heart. But that is only the beginning of this winding path to a deeper discovery of God and His purposes through His servant Mary.
Luke 1:46-55, often called the Magnificat or Mary’s Song, are verses I have previously viewed as words spilling over from a heart full of gratitude when Mary learns she is to give birth to the Messiah. Upon closer examination, I realize Mary’s words are an insightful epiphany of a society turned on its head when love, mercy, and justice intersect at the manger and continue all the way to the cross and beyond.
Verses 51-53 in particular jump off the page when I read that the proud, the rulers, and the rich will be brought down and the faithful, the humble, and the hungry will be lifted up. Jesus’ birth begins a new social order where the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). His isn’t a new world where the poor and humble exchange roles with the rich and powerful; He utterly destroys the concept of oppression and in doing so, ushers in the kingdom of heaven on earth where love reigns, mercy rules, and justice prevails.
In-between the manger and the cross, Jesus navigates a world filled with fear, dominated by the cruel, tyrannical, take-no-prisoners Roman government and exacerbated by the power-hungry, overbearing religious leaders, all of whom work within a system of oppression and injustice. Jesus, as described in His mission statement (Luke 4:18-19*), intends to turn society upside down with His focus on setting the prisoners and the oppressed free while providing good news to the poor, the marginalized, and those living on the fringes of society.
This is the Way of the Savior. This is God’s kingdom on earth. While Mary’s Song may be praise to her God, it is a foretelling of Emmanuel (“God with us”), the One born out of God’s love for all people, the One who showed mercy to all He encountered, and the One who died for justice for all. May we see hope in Mary’s Magnificat, hope for a better world where someday oppression is eliminated and true peace on earth reigns, a hope that begins with each of us when we follow in Jesus’ footsteps and stand up for the powerless, the poor, and the marginalized.
Jesus stepped out of the clouds of heaven and into the stable of humanity, fully understanding in His divinity the messiness of humankind. His great love compelled Him to enter into our fearful and difficult world to save not just souls, but also lives, and to teach us to love radically, to live fearlessly, and to follow Him relentlessly. Following Jesus means being His instrument of love, mercy, and justice in a world turned upside down by power, greed, and abuse. If only we would open our eyes to His works and wonders and our ears to His words.
The hope found in Mary’s Magnificat is only the beginning, for hope is a call to action.
What an incredible world this would be:
if we offer love instead of indifference,
if we show mercy instead of intolerance,
if we pursue justice instead of power.
Beginning with this New Year before us, may we each heed the call of Mary’s hope: to offer love, to show mercy, and to pursue justice.
Lord, in this sacred space between Christmas and Easter, may Your love, mercy, and justice be my epiphany and my guide to continue Your good work of turning the world upside down for the sake of the poor and disenfranchised. May Your hope and peace rule in this world and reign in my heart. Amen.
*Matthew 5:5 –“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
*Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Text and photographs copyright © 2022 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of the dove inside the cupola of Salzburg Cathedral, Austria. While a dove can symbolize the Holy Spirit or peace, here it symbolizes hope. The beautiful and ornate Dom zu Salzburg was a highlight of my 2019 trip to Salzburg. See also the colorful cupola and a view of the cathedral from behind the pipes of the massive organ upstairs.
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe.
A NOTE ON RACIAL JUSTICE: Becoming antiracist is a journey. Together, we can make a difference. Will you join me? Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
The cupola inside Salzburg Cathedral, Austria:
Inside the beautiful Salzburg Cathedral:
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